


You Know Me

by CharmStone127



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-18 00:56:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10605966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharmStone127/pseuds/CharmStone127
Summary: Melinda has never had an issue with taking down a mark before, but for some reason her finger just won't pull the trigger.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I watched 4x17 this morning and was struck with the need to imagine Phil getting Melinda to remember who he is. Am I trying to escape the pain of the episode? Yes, yes I am. 
> 
> Huge thank you to elle_you_oh for playing beta!

The gun was aimed, her fingers on the trigger… and yet she didn’t pull it. No; she  _ couldn’t _ pull it. Why couldn’t she do it? It was hardly the first time she had pointed a gun at a mark, quite the opposite in fact. She had been in this exact position many times, and each time her target had wound up incapacitated or dead, whichever she needed them to be. 

But for a reason beyond her understanding, she couldn’t bring herself to fire this time.

The man stood there, barely ten feet away. An easy target even for a novice agent, let alone someone with Melinda’s experience. Surely he had to realise the danger he was in? He should be looking at her in fear, not… whatever emotion it was that swam in his eyes instead. It was almost as if he were staring at someone familiar. A friend. Maybe more. But how could that be? She had never met him before, and if he knew who she was, then he knew her reputation; the cold, ruthless agent who showed no mercy. But that didn’t make sense with the way he was looking at her. He wasn’t scared, he was… she could no more identify the look in his eyes than she could the reason she was unable to just pull the trigger and end these incomprehensible thoughts. 

“Can’t do it, can you?”

Her grip tightened on the weapon as the man slowly took a step forward, and then another. She narrowed her eyes at him, silently daring him to come closer. 

He did. 

“I can. And I will, if you so much as take another step.” Her voice didn’t betray the lack of conviction she felt at her own words, though somehow it was as though the man could sense it anyway, as he moved, slowly closing the distance between them.

“No,” he shook his head softly. “You won’t. Because you know me. You don’t realise you do… but somewhere, deep inside… you know me.” 

Her jaw clenched, her body instinctively steeling itself to give no sign of how she was feeling. It wouldn’t do for him to see the way she faltered, though given how he continued to make his way closer to her, she knew her efforts were in vain. Whoever this man was, he already knew that something was holding her back. 

“You know me, Melinda.” 

She blinked. Though she was hardly an unknown in the world, her name, one many, if not most people knew, there was something in the way he uttered it. He said it so… so  _ softly _ . She had never heard her name spoken that way before.

Or had she?

Somewhere, deep down, there was something familiar about it, just as she realised there was something familiar about  _ him _ . His eyes… that piercing blue gaze… 

He had reached her now, standing at the barrel end of the gun. Yet still no sign of fear flickered in his expression. He wasn’t afraid of her. Slowly, he reached an arm up, fingers resting softly on the gun before slowly pushing it down, not stopping until it was aimed towards the ground. His eyes remained locked on hers as he took another step forwards, his fingers trailing up from the gun to her wrist.

Though the touch was soft, it felt almost electrifying to her. Her gaze dropped to where their skin met, lingering there for a moment before returning to his face, eyes meeting his once more. 

“Melinda.  _ Please _ .” There was that softness again, only this time there was something else there too. Something almost  _ desperate _ , like the way a starving man might beg for food. “I can’t lose you again.” Again? What was he talking about? “You mean a lot to me. A  _ lot _ .” 

Her brow furrowed, lips parting slightly as some distant memory stirred at his words. “Phil?” 

She was certain she had never seen anyone smile quite so brightly, relief shining in his eyes as he nodded. 

“Yeah. It’s me.” 

His hand moved now, fingers tracing further up her arm. Melinda’s breath stuttered,  catching in her throat for a moment, flashes of long forgotten memories that seemed almost like dreams returning to her. 

Her lips tugged slightly at the corners, the smallest smile starting to make it’s way onto her face…

But it never materialised.

“You have to go.” It was an order, yet there was a note of pleading in her voice as she pulled away from him. 

“Melinda – “ 

“HYDRA are still here. They can’t find you. I can buy you some time, but you’ve got to get out of here.” 

He opened his mouth as if to argue, but closed it at the look on her face and gave a reluctant nod instead. Melinda allowed her eyes to linger on him for a moment longer before she started to turn, only for him to speak again.

“Meet me.” 

She looked towards him once more, her protest already forming on her lips, but failing to leave as he continued speaking.

“Please. If you remember… we had a place in the city. Meet me there. Tonight.” 

She eyed him steadily before she nodded, then promptly turned on her heel and walked away. 


End file.
